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If you have a new Dell Latitude E6400  Laptop. The district’s wireless key needs to be imported before you can use the wireless network. This means that you won’t be able to log in to the network either. Here’s how to get the wireless working.

1.  turn on your E6400 laptop
2. check the “workstation only” box and hit “Enter” on the keyboard
3. After the laptop has fully turned on click on “Start,””Programs,” “Dell Wireless,” and finally “Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility”
4. Now we have to import the Key. Click on the little arrow next to the “Options” button. Click “import.” SEE IMAGE
5. Browse through the computer to find and double-click on apsnet1397.wpn. Click on “My Computer > Local Disk C > DELL > DRIVERS > Network > Wireless 1397 > apsnet1397.wpn. Once you click on apsnet1397.wpn, click “open.”
6. Now your wireless will work within the district. Restart and try logging in.

Here’s “Part 1 of Dr. Robert Marzano addressing the question “What do we know about the effect of technology on student achievement?” at the CUE 2009 Conference on March 6, 2009.” (thanks Ivan)  Not surprisingly his studies show an increase in student achievement when instructional technology is used effectively and a decrease in achievement when instruction is focused on the tool rather than the learning.

The deciding factor of success is whether the teacher has a good understanding of pedagogical and content knowledge prior to using instructional technology. This just underscores for me the importance of teaching how to use instructional technology within the framework of instructional strategies. This is definitely an ongoing pursuit for me, as I tend to skip directly to how to use the technology rather than when or why.

Anyway… if you are preparing to write a grant soon for instructional technology, this is a great resource to book mark. The points that Marzano speaks of, relate directly to the work that the recipients of the DoIT Grant have worked to achieve with the technology they received. They have done some fantastic work! Check out their projects… and be sure to check out Marzano’s presentation.

image by Punya Mishra

Gwynn Moore & Shannon Wentworth have teamed up with the AEA to offer the Technology Integration Caucus (Flyer). Excerpt from flyer below.

Course Title: Creating Successful Learning Environments for the Self-Controlled Classroom

Instructor: Jenna Harp

Description: Instructing educators to effectively use the Self-Controlled Classroom Model in their classroom. “The vision of the Self- Control Classroom Model is to prevent disruptive, delinquent, and violent behavior, and to encourage accountability, achievement, integrity, and duty to others through adult/youth interaction, emphasizing trust, caring, and respectful relationships, and the use of effective, expert instruction.”

Course Schedule
Dates: 6/9/09- 7/23/09

Times: Online blog discussions and 1 page self-reflections/chapter for 7.0 hours (1 hour every Tuesday starting June 9th and ending July 21st. Seminar for 30 minutes Thursday, July 23rd.) Times of the online discussions: TBA

Location: online blog/seminar at Boston K-8